Sponsors (22)
The bill increases information and regulatory oversight to better protect groundwater and drinking water near oil and gas operations, but it may create new compliance costs for operators, potential remediation expenses for communities, and requires DOI resources to implement.
By removing a Clean Water Act exemption for certain oil-and-gas stormwater discharges, the bill could expand NPDES permit coverage and regulatory oversight, strengthening pollution controls.
Utilities and water managers (including local governments and energy companies) will receive data on aquifer susceptibility and groundwater impacts to guide drinking-water protection and remediation planning.
Residents near oil and gas operations (including rural communities and homeowners) will get improved information about stormwater contamination risks within one year, enabling more timely awareness and response.
If the study identifies contamination, homeowners and local governments may face significant costs for remediation and water treatment, and this section does not provide funding to cover those expenses.
Oil and gas operators could face increased regulatory scrutiny and higher permitting or compliance costs if the exemption removal leads to expanded NPDES permitting.
The Department of the Interior must allocate staff and resources to complete the study and report within one year, potentially diverting personnel and funds from other DOI priorities.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Removes a Clean Water Act exemption so certain stormwater discharges from oil and gas operations can be subject to NPDES permits and requires an Interior study/report on contamination within 1 year.
Removes a Clean Water Act provision that limited permitting for certain stormwater discharges tied to oil and gas operations, which can make those discharges subject to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to study stormwater contamination from oil and gas operations in areas the Secretary identifies as potentially contaminated and to report findings to Congress within one year of enactment. The change may increase regulatory oversight of stormwater from oil and gas sites, create new permitting or compliance obligations for operators and permitting authorities, and produce a federal study that could guide future rulemaking or cleanup actions based on measured contamination and aquifer vulnerability.
Introduced November 18, 2025 by Jared Huffman · Last progress November 18, 2025